


The Rise Before

by Hilaryh90



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-13
Updated: 2020-02-13
Packaged: 2021-02-28 07:07:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22689751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hilaryh90/pseuds/Hilaryh90
Summary: This is story number four in the Jenna series which takes us into Age of Ultron. Happy reading :)
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 3





	1. Chapter 1

**The Rise Before**   
**A/N: Now that we are moving on to Age of Ultron I wanna make sure you all are enjoying the series so far :)**

Another dead lead, damn it. I was really starting to wonder if I would ever find Bucky again. I've been trying for months but nothing. I arrive back at the compound that Stark set up for all of us to stay at and I don't see anyone there.

"Jarvis, where is everyone?" I asked

_Welcome back Miss Keller. The team is on a mission to retrieve the scepter from a HYDRA base in Sokovia run by Baron Strucker._

"Thank you Jarvis." I said picking my bag back up

_You are welcome Miss Keller_

"Sweet more hot water for me." I say and head to my room, set my bag on the bed, grabbed a change of clothes then headed into my bathroom.

* * *

After I finished there was a knock on my door, confused I walked over and opened it seeing Steve standing there, "Hey. When did you get back?" He asked me

"Half an hour ago." 

"Anything?" He asked and I shook my head

"No. Dead end, again." I said walking into my room with him following, "I just came by to shower, grab some more stuff then head back out."

"Jenna. You've been at this for months. When was the last time you had a hot meal let alone slept?"

"I'll sleep when I find him." I told him and he gave me a look, "Steve we thought he was dead, and now here he is alive wondering around probably panicked while trying to figure out his memories. I can't leave him like, I just can't."

"I get it, I do, but you need to relax, unwind. Why not join us for the party, everyone misses you and I think you deserve it."

"Steve..."

"Just, blow off some steam. Then once you've relaxed I'll help you find another lead. Okay?" He asked and I sighed.

"Fine, but as soon as we find something I'm gone."

"Deal." He said and left the room.

"Guess I better change again." 

* * *

"Hey Jenna, welcome back." Nat says to me as I sit at the bar staring at my drink then I look at her.

"Thanks."

"You okay?" She asked and I smiled.

"I am for right now. How did the mission go? Did you get the scepter?" 

"We did. It's currently being held in the lab." She mentioned

"Cause that's safe." I said sarcastically and Stark walked over.

"Ah Keller, so nice to see you again."

"Well I was having a good time." I said and Nat smiled

"Oh come on you know you like being here." He tells me and I chuckled, "Hey did you hear what Cap did on the mission?" 

"No, what?" I asked him and Nat stood up.

"I'll talk to you later." She says then walked away

"So I was flying to the building..."

* * *

"But, it's a trick!" Clint says referring to Thor's hammer that was sitting on the table

"Oh, no. It's much more than that." Thor tells him

"Uh, "Whosoever be he worthy shall haveth the power!" Whatever man! It's a trick." 

"Well please, be my guest." Thor says gesturing to the hammer

"Really?" Clint asked him

"Yeah!" Thor tells him and Clint gets up

"Oh this is gonna be beautiful." Rhodey said and I smiled

"Clint, you've had a tough week, we won't hold it against you if you can't get it up." Stark told him

"You know I've seen this before, right?" Clint said and grabs Thor's hammer but can't lift it, "I still don't know how you do it."

"Smell the silent judgment?" Stark asked 

"Please, Stark, by all means." Clint says to him and Stark gets up

"Oh, here we go." Nat said

"Never one to shrink from an honest challenge." Stark tells us and puts his hand through the strap, "It's physics."

"Physics!" Banner repeated and Stark grasps Thor's hammer

"Right, so, if I lift it, I...I then rule Asgard?" Stark asked Thor

"Yes, of course."

"I will be re-instituting Prima Nocta." Stark tries to lift the hammer but fails, "I'll be right back." He said then left. After a while he returned wearing his armored hand and tries to lift the hammer again but fails. Then him and Rhodey both try while wearing their hand gear.

"Are you even pulling?" Rhodey asked him

"Are you on my team?"

"Just represent! Pull!" Rhodey says

"Alright, let's go!" They both pull as hard as they can but nothing then Banner tries to lift the hammer, he roars trying to change to the Hulk but fails, and we all look at him then Steve gets up and gives it a try

"Let's go, Steve, no pressure." Stark told him

"Come on, Cap." Rhodey says and Steve starts pulling on the hammer but nothing

"Widow?" Banner asked her

"Oh, no no. That's not a question I need answered." She said and I chuckled

"Keller?" Stark asked and I looked at them

"Oh no I don't think.."

"Ah come on one super soldier failed how about the other." Clint pointed out and nudged me.

"Come on Keller." Stark says and I sighed then stood up walking over to the hammer, I grabbed it and pulled but nothing happened.

"Well if that's not a hit to the ego I don't what is." I said and they chuckled as I sat down next to Steve.

"All deference to the man who wouldn't be king, but it's rigged." Stark pointed out

"You bet your ass." Clint said

"Steve, he said a bad language word." I told him and Steve sighed looking down

"Did you tell everyone about that?" He asked Stark who ignored him and I laughed patting his shoulder

"The handle's imprinted, right? Like a security code. "Whosoever is carrying Thor's fingerprints" is, I think, the literal translation?" Stark asked Thor

"Yes, well that's, uh, that's a very, very interesting theory. I have a simpler one." Thor gets up and lifts his hammer then flips it, "You're all not worthy." He says and we all groaned. Suddenly there's a loud screeching noise, causing us to cover our ears.

"Worthy... No... How could you be worthy? You're all killers." We hear someone say and saw a disfigured robot walk into the room

"Stark." Steve says and we stand up

"JARVIS."

"I'm sorry, I was asleep. Or...I was a-dream?" the robot asked

"Reboot, Legionnaire OS, we got a buggy suit." Stark says tapping his phone

"There was a terrible noise...and I was tangled in... in...strings. I had to kill the other guy. He was a good guy." The robot says and I slowly reached my hand behind me putting it on my gun.

"You killed someone?" Steve asked it

"Wouldn't have been my first call. But, down in the real world we're faced with ugly choices."

"Who sent you?" Thor asked

"I see a suit of armor around the world." The robot played Stark's voice

"Ultron!" Banner says

"In the flesh. Or, no, not yet. Not this...chrysalis. But I'm ready. I'm on a mission." 

"What mission?" Nat asked

"Peace in our time." Ultron said then suddenly the more of Stark's bots break through the walls. I fired at one but then Steve kicked the coffee table up and one of the bots hits it knocking us down. I get up as one fires at me and shot it as I ran then a blast hit me. I smashed though the glass and hit the wall behind it. As I feel the glass fall from my wounds when they heal I see Steve's shield sitting there and grabbed it.

"Steve!" I yelled and threw it to him then he threw it at the last bot destroying it and we all stand there looking at them.

"That was dramatic! I'm sorry, I know you mean well. You just didn't think it through. You want to protect the world, but you don't want it to change. How is humanity saved if it's not allowed to...evolve?" Ultron picks up one of the dismembered Iron Legions, "With these? These puppets? There's only one path to peace: The Avengers' extinction." Suddenly Thor throws his hammer at Ultron and smashes him to pieces


	2. The Rise Before

**The Rise Before**

"All our work is gone. Ultron cleared out, used the internet as an escape hatch." Banner mentioned as we stand in the lab

"He's been in everything. Files, surveillance. Probably knows more about us than we know about each other." Nat pointed out

"He's in your files, he's in the internet. What if he decides to access something a little more exciting?" Rhodey asked

"Nuclear codes." Hill asked

"Nuclear codes. Look, we need to make some calls, assuming we still can." Rhodey says

"Nukes? He said he wanted us dead." I point out

"He didn't say dead. He said extinct." Steve tells me

"He also said he killed somebody." Clint adds

"But there wasn't anyone else in the building." Hill mentioned

"Yes there was." Stark brings up the now destroyed 3D image of Jarvis

"This is insane." Banner said

"JARVIS was the first line of defense. He would've shut Ultron down, it makes sense." Steve says

"No, Ultron could've assimilated Jarvis. This isn't strategy, this is...rage." Banner tells us then suddenly, Thor grabs hold of Stark by his throat and holds him up

"Woah, woah, woah! It's going around." Clint said

"Come on. Use your words, buddy." Stark tells Thor

"I have more than enough words to describe you, Stark."

"Thor! The Legionnaire." Steve said and Thor lets go of Stark

"Trail went cold about a hundred miles out but it's headed north, and it has the scepter. Now we have to retrieve it, again."

"The genie's out of that bottle. Clear and present is Ultron." Nat points out

"I don't understand. You built this program. Why is it trying to kill us?" Dr. Cho asked and Stark starts laughing.

"You think this is funny?" I asked him

"No. It's probably not, right? Is this very terrible? Is it so...is it so...it is. It's so terrible."

"This could've been avoided if you hadn't played with something you don't understand." Thor told him

"I second that." I said in agreement

"No, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. It is funny. It's a hoot that you don't get why we need this."

"Tony, maybe this might not be the time to..." Banner started to tell him

"Really?! That's it? You just roll over, show your belly, every time somebody snarls."

"Only when I've created a murder bot." Banner told him

"We didn't. We weren't even close. Were we close to an interface?"

"Well, you did something right. And you did it right here. The Avengers were supposed to be different than SHIELD." Steve says

"Anybody remember when I carried a nuke through a wormhole?"

"No, it's never come up." Rhodey said sarcastically

"Saved New York? Recall that? A hostile alien army came charging through a hole in space. We're standing three hundred feet below it. We're the Avengers. We can bust arms dealers all the live long day, but, that up there? That's...that's the end game. How were you guys planning on beating that?" 

"Together." Steve told him

"We'll lose."

"Then we'll do that together, too." Steve said and Stark looks at him for a moment before turning away, "Thor's right. Ultron's calling us out. And I'd like to find him before he's ready for us. The world's a big place. Let's start making it smaller" Steve tells us

* * *

"He's all over the globe. Robotics labs, weapons facilities, jet propulsion labs, reports of a metal man, or men, coming in and emptying the place." I tell Steve as me, him and Hill walk out of the elevator on our way to the lab.

"Fatalities?"

"Only when engaged. Mostly guys left in a fugue state going on about old memories, worst fears, and something too fast to see." Hill pointed out

"Maximoffs. Well, that makes sense he'd go to them, they have someone in common."

"Not anymore." I told Steve and handed him a tablet showing a photo of Strucker's dead body with the word PEACE written in blood on the wall next to him" I explained and we walked in to lab then Steve handed Thor the tablet

"What's this?" Stark asked as Thor looked at the picture then smacked it into Tony's chest

"A message. Ultron killed Strucker." Steve told him

"And he did a Banksy at the crime scene, just for us."

"This is a smokescreen. Why send a message when you've just given a speech?" I asked

"Strucker knew something that Ultron wanted us to miss." Steve says

"Yeah, I bet he..." Nat started to say then looks at the computer monitor, "Yep. Everything we had on Strucker has been erased."

"Not everything." Stark tells us

* * *

"Known associates. Well, Strucker had a lot of friends." Steve pointed out as we look through old paper files.

"Well, these people are all horrible." Banner mentioned

"Wait. I know that guy." Stark told him reaching for the file and Banner passes it to him, "From back in the day. He operates off the African coast, black market arms." Stark said and Steve gives him an accusing look, "There are conventions, alright? You meet people, I didn't sell him anything. He was talking about finding something new, a game changer, it was all very Ahab."

"This." Thor says and pointed at the file

"Uh, it's a tattoo. I don't think he had it..."

"No, those are tattoos, this is a brand." Thor pointed out 

* * *

Banner sits at one of the computers and identifies the brand on Klaue's neck, "Oh, yeah. It's a word in an African dialect meaning thief, in a much less friendly way."

"What dialect?" Steve asked him

"Wakanada...? Wa...Wa...Wakanda."

"If this guy got out of Wakanda with some of their trade goods..." Stark started to say

"I thought your father said he got the last of it?" Steve asked

"I don't follow. What comes out of Wakanda?" Banner asked and me, Stark and Steve look at Steve's shield 

"The strongest metal on earth." Stark says

"Where is this guy now?" Steve asked


	3. The Rise Before chapter 3

**The Rise Before**

_"Guys, is this a Code Green?"_ I heard Banner ask over my radio as I started shooting at Klaue's men

 _"Thor! Status?"_ Steve asked

 _"The girl tried to warp my mind. Take special care, I doubt a human could keep her at bay. Fortunately, I am mighty."_ Thor said and I moved out from my position but stopped when I felt something surge through my mind and I see the old HYDRA base I lived in over 70 years ago.

_"Ah my dear. There you are." Schmidt tells me but it wasn't his face, it was the Red Skull._

_"You could have saved me." I heard someone say and I turned to see Bucky there like how he was the first time but then he switched into the winter soldier and Schmidt began laughing._

_"You will always belong to me my dear." Schmidt says from behind me._

I fall down to the ground holding onto the railing.

_"You could have saved me." Bucky says again switching back and forth between how I knew him and the soldier as Schmidt continued laughing. Bucky suddenly appeared in front of me grabbing my throat, "Why didn't you save me?!" He yelled choking me._

"Jenna?" I heard Steve faintly say but I was still stuck in the vision.

_"Save me!!" Bucky yelled still holding my throat._

"Jenna! Snap out of it." Steve says taking a hold of me and my vision slowly starts to fade, "Come on up you go." He said helping me up.

 _"Save me."_ Bucky's voice begins to fade as Steve helps me walk.

* * *

"The news is loving you guys. Nobody else is. There's been no official call for Banner's arrest, but it's in the air." Hill informed us as we sat on the Quinjet, we were all still in shock and recovering from the mind trick.

"Stark Relief Foundation?" Stark asked her

"Already on the scene. How's the team?"

"Everyone's...we took a hit. We'll shake it off." He told her

"Well for now I'd stay in stealth mode, and stay away from here."

"So, run and hide?" He asked

"Until we can find Ultron, I don't have a lot else to offer."

"Neither do we." He told her and Steve walked over to me sitting down.

"Jenna?" 

"I don't wanna talk about it." I told him as I looked down.

"I know, but when you do.."

"I'm gonna try and sleep now." I said leaning back against the wall of the jet not looking at him

"Okay." He says placing his hand on my leg then got up walking away.

_Save me._

I kept hearing Bucky's voice in my head, I attempted to close my eyes but all I could see was that vision.

* * *

Clint lands the Quinjet outside a large farmhouse, we step out and walk towards it, "What is this place?" Thor asked

"A safe house?" Stark asked as well

"Let's hope." Clint tells us and we all enter the house, "Honey, I'm home." Clint said and a pregnant woman walked into the room. 

"Hi. Company. Sorry I didn't call ahead." Clint tells her

"Hey." She kisses Clint and I share a confused look with Steve

"This is an agent of some kind." Stark mentioned

"Everyone, this is Laura." Clint introduced

"I know all your names." She tells us

"Ooh, incoming." Clint says and we see two kids run into the room

"Dad!" The little girl cheered and Clint picked her up

"Hey, buddy! How you guys doing? Ooh..."

"These are...smaller agents." Stark says and I shake my head

"Did you bring Auntie Nat?" I heard the little girl ask and Nat walks over to her

"Why don't you hug her and find out?" Nat tells her and Nat picked her up 

"Sorry for barging in on you." Steve told Laura

"Yeah, we would have called ahead, but we were busy having no idea that you existed." Stark adds

"Yeah, well Fury helped me set this up when I joined. He kept it off SHIELD's files, I'd like to keep it that way. I figure it's a good place to lay low." Clint tells us and I looked down as Thor walked past me and Steve followed then I walked away.

* * *

"Wanna talk?" I heard Steve ask as he sat down next to me on the roof.

"Steve I..."

"I saw Peggy, in that vision. It was a club, everyone was dancing and then..she was there. She told me that the war was over, that we can go home. Then the club was empty." He tells me and I wiped away a tear, "Made me realize how much is gone from our past, how much I miss her."

"I saw Schmidt." I told him and sighed, "I saw Schmidt then I saw...I saw Bucky. The old Bucky before everything happened, back when I first met him. Schmidt had him tied up then Bucky tells me, "You could have saved me." then Schmidt started laughing saying that I would always belong to him. Then Bucky switched to the winter soldier and grabbed me by the throat, asked me why didn't I save him." I explained letting it all out, I felt Steve put his hand on my shoulder but I moved away as the tears came out, "I endured so much pain from Schmidt ever since I got injected with that serum, but nothing hurts more then knowing that I couldn't save the man I love." I tell him and he tried again to put his hand on my shoulder, I tried to fight the tears but they kept coming out and Steve pulled me into a hug.

"We will figure out a way to save him, once we find him." Steve told me and I just nodded.

"Hey guys." I heard Clint call up to us and we looked down at him, "We need you down here." He said and walked away as I wiped the tears.

"Come on." Steve said and he got up moving to the ladder I used to get up here but I took the quicker route and jumped off the roof and landed in front of Nat who looked at me.

"Show off." She says and I gave a small chuckle then we headed inside


	4. The Rise Before chapter 4

**The Rise Before**

"Ultron took you folks out of play to buy himself time. My contacts all say he's building something. The amount of Vibranium he made off with, I don't think it's just one thing." Nick tells us as we sat in the kitchen of Clint's house

"What about Ultron himself?" Steve asked him

"Ah. He's easy to track, he's everywhere. Guy's multiplying faster than a Catholic rabbit. Still doesn't help us get an angle on any of his plans though."

"He still going after launch codes?" Stark asked

"Yes, he is, but he's not making any headway."

"I cracked the Pentagon's firewall in high school on a dare." Stark pointed out

"Yeah, well, I contacted our friends at the NEXUS about that."

"NEXUS?" I asked 

"It's the world internet hub in Oslo, every byte of data flows through there, fastest access on earth." Banner tells me

"So what'd they say?" Clint asked

"He's fixated on the missiles, but the codes are constantly being changed."

"By whom?" Stark asked Fury

"Parties unknown."

"Do we have an ally?" Nat asked

"Ultron's got an enemy, that's not the same thing. Still, I'd pay folding money to know who it is."

"I might need to visit Oslo, find our unknown." Stark said

"Well, this is good times, boss, but I was kind of hoping when I saw you, you'd have more than that." Nat tells Nick

"I do, I have you. Back in the day, I had eyes everywhere, ears everywhere else. Here we all are, back on earth, with nothing but our wit, and our will to save the world. So stand. Outwit the platinum bastard."

"Steve doesn't like that kind of talk." I joked looking at Steve

"You know what, Keller?" He said and I gave a small smile 

"So what does he want?" Nick asked 

"To become better. Better than us. He keeps building bodies." Steve told him

"Person bodies. The human form is inefficient, biologically speaking, we're outmoded. But he keeps coming back to it." Stark pointed out

"When you two programmed him to protect the human race, you amazingly failed." Nat said

"They don't need to be protected, they need to evolve. Ultron's going to evolve." Banner mentioned

"How?" Nick asked him

"Has anyone been in contact with Helen Cho?"

* * *

"Two minutes. Stay close." Steve tells Nat and Clint after they dropped us off on the roof a building next to where Ultron was, "Ready?" He asked me

"Just like old times." I said and we jump off the building making our way to the other one.

* * *

We reached the building and ran inside the lab seeing Dr. Cho on the floor, "Dr. Cho!" Steve says and I grabbed a cloth putting it to her wound

"He's uploading himself into the body." She tells us

"Where?" Steve asked her

"The real power is inside the Cradle. The gem, its power is uncontainable. You can't just blow it up. You have to get the Cradle to Stark."

"First we have to find it." I point out

"Go."

* * *

"Did you guys copy that?" Steve asked them as we ran out of the building

"We did." Clint says

"I got a private jet taking off, across town, no manifest. That could be him." Nat mentioned

"There. It's the truck from the lab. Right above you guys. On the loop by the bridge. It's them. I got three with the Cradle, one in the cab. I could take out the driver." Clint tells us and we climb up the ladder to the road

"Negative! If that truck crashes, the gem could level the city. We need to draw out Ultron." Steve says and we jump onto the roof of the truck then a blast shoots out from the doors me and Steve were hanging on and I held on. 

"Jenna swing the door shut!" Steve told me and I kicked off the side of the truck shutting the door next to Steve and another blast got shot out, "Jump!" Steve yelled and we did then landed on the doors that turned into a ramp.

"Well, he's definitely unhappy! We're gonna have to try and keep him that way." I mentioned

"You're not a match for him you two." Clint said

"Thanks, Barton." Steve tells him and we try to enter the truck then Ultron blasts Steve who lands on a car behind us. I jumped off the doors grabbing the top of the truck as a blast came at me but I dodged then landed inside. 

"Impressive." Ultron said but before I could pull out my gun he hit me with a blast and I get thrown out backwards but Steve caught me as he landed back on the roof.

"Thanks" I said and Ultron flew up to us

"You know what's in that Cradle?" Ultron asked shooting a blast at us but Steve turned blocking it with his shield, "The power to make real change, and that terrifies you."

"I wouldn't call it a comfort." Steve said throwing his shield at him as Ultron shot at us and I ducked dodging one at he knocked Steve off the front and I shot at Ultron.

"What a simple weapon." He said and hit me with a blast knocking me down and I looked back at him as the blast mark healed, "Interesting." He tells me and raised his hand but Steve jumped on him from behind then Ultron moved him in front and grabbed Steve's throat. I see Nat come out from under the truck and tossed Steve his shield which he hit Ultron with then after hitting him a few times Steve got knocked off the truck. I ran up went to attack Ultron but he turned and hit me with a blast sending me flying off and I crashed into a train that was next to us.

"Why?" I asked as I got up and looked at the people staring at me then I looked out, "Everyone move back!" I yelled and they moved just as Steve and Ultron came crashing through the window. Then we get up and start fighting Ultron, Steve throws his shield at him but he smacked it back then as Ultron went to fly at us Steve jumped over him and I rolled under then a blast came at us but Steve blocked it.

_"I'm going in, Cap, Jenna can you keep him occupied?_

"What do you think we've been doing?" I asked her and got up

* * *

After Ultron hits Steve in the side after knocking me down I saw a blur of something shoot by hitting him then metal bars from the train bent down blocking him and I turned to see Wanda standing there then Pietro walked over, "Please. Don't do this."Ultron told them

"What choice do we have?" Wanda asked him and Ultron shot at Pietro then flew out of the train 

"I lost him! He's headed your way." Steve said to the others

 _"Cap, Jenna, you see Nat?"_ Clint asked us

"If you have the package, get it to Stark! Go!" 

_"Do you have eyes on Nat?"_ Clint asked again

"Go!" Steve told him and I looked out of the train 

"Steve we have civilians in our path." I said and Pietro ran out

"Can you stop this thing?" Steve asked Wanda and she used whatever powers she had to slow it down then we stopped and got out walking over to to Pietro.

"I'm fine. I just need to take a minute."

"I'm very tempted not to give you one." Steve told him

"Steve." I said and he looked at me then back at the twins.

"The Cradle, did you get it?" Wanda asked us

"Stark will take care of it." I told her

"No, he won't."

"You don't know what you're talking about, Stark's not crazy." Steve says

"He will do anything to make things right." She tells us

"Stark, come in." Steve said but there was a silence, "Stark." He tried again, "Anyone on comms?"

"Ultron can't tell the difference between saving the world and destroying it. Where do you think he gets that?" Wanda asked us and I looked at Steve.

* * *

"I'm gonna say this once." Steve says to Stark as we walk into the lab

"How about "nonce"?"

"Shut it down!" Steve told him

"Nope, not gonna happen."

"You don't know what you're doing." I said

"And you do? She's not in your head?" Banner asked

"I know you're angry." Wanda tells him

"Oh, we're way past that. I could choke the life out of you and never change a shade."

"You would have to go through me and I won't die that easily." I tell him and he looked at me

"Banner, after everything that's happened..." Steve started to say

"That's nothing compared to what's coming!" Stark says

"You don't know what's in there!" Wanda told him

"This isn't a game..." I mentioned

"The creature...!" Wanda started to say but Pietro ran and used his speed to destroy the lab equipment

"No, no. Go on. You were saying?" He asked then suddenly there's a shot and Pietro fell through the glass floor

"Pietro!" Wanda yelled but I held her back as the machines started beeping.

"I'm rerouting the upload." Stark said and Steve throw his shield hitting the computers and I ducked then Stark's Iron man hand came to him and Stark blasted Steve back. Then Banner came up behind Wanda holding her around the next with his arm.

"Go ahead, piss me off." 

"Banner. Let her go." I told him

"After what she did you're protecting her?" 

"She helped us!"

"Oh that's rich." He said then Wanda used her power on him knocking Banner back then Thor enters and pounds the cradle with his hammer, sending a powerful bolt of lightning that brings the body to life

"Wait!" Banner yelled and we all look in shock as the body busted out knocking Thor off then landed on it. He looked around at us all then went to fly at Thor but he grabbed him and threw him but the man stopped at the windows looking at them. Thor went over there then me and Steve joined him but Thor held up his hand to stop us.

"I'm sorry, that was...odd. Thank you." The thing said to Thor then it materialized a cape and a suit.

"Thor, you helped create this?" Steve asked him

"I've had a vision. A whirlpool that sucks in all hope of life and at it's center is that." He said and points to the gem inside Vision's head

"What, the gem?" Banner asked

"It's the Mind Stone. It's one of the six Infinity Stones, the greatest power in the universe, unparalleled in its destructive capabilities."

"Then why would you bring it to..." I started to ask

"Because Stark is right."

"Oh, it's definitely the end times." Banner says 

"The Avengers cannot defeat Ultron." 

"Not alone." The man pointed out

"Why does your "vision" sound like JARVIS?" I asked

"We...we reconfigured JARVIS' matrix to create something new." Stark said

"I think I've had my fill of new." Steve tells him

"You think I'm a child of Ultron?" The man asked

"You're not?" I asked him

"I'm not Ultron. I'm not JARVIS. I am...I am."

"I looked in your head and saw annihilation." Wanda told him

"Look again."

"Yeah. Her seal of approval means jack to me." Clint said

"Their powers, the horrors in our heads, Ultron himself, they all came from the Mind Stone, and they're nothing compared to what it can unleash. But with it on our side..." Thor starts to tell us

"Is it? Are you? On our side?" Steve asked the man

"I don't think it's that simple."

"Well it better get real simple real soon." Clint told him

"I am on the side of life. Ultron isn't, he will end it all."

"What's he waiting for?" Stark asked

"You."

"Where?" Asked Banner

"Sokovia. He's got Nat there too."

"If we're wrong about you, if you're the monster that Ultron made you to be..." Banner started to tell him

"What will you do?" He asked and looked at all of us but I'm pretty sure we all had the same thought, "I don't want to kill Ultron. He's unique, and he's in pain. But that pain will roll over the earth, so he must be destroyed. Every form he's built, every trace of his presence on the net, we have to act now. And not one of us can do it without the others. Maybe I am a monster. I don't think I'd know if I were one. I'm not what you are, and not what you intended. So there may be no way to make you trust me. But we need to go." He holds up Thor's hammer and hands it to him as we all stare at him in shock then he walked away

"Right." Thor says and pats Stark on the shoulder, "Well done."

"Three minutes. Get what you need." Steve told us and I headed to my room. After changing into my outfit and gathering my weapons there was a knock on my door. When I opened it I saw Wanda standing there, "Oh, hi."

"I wanted to thank you for standing up to me with the others."

"No thanks necessary. You helped me and Steve out when we needed it and you wanna stop Ultron as well. Everyone deserves a second chance." I tell her and she gave a small smile, "Can I ask you something?" 

"Sure."

"When you..did that thing with our minds, what exactly was it that you made us see?" I asked 

"It was your worst fears mixed with memories of your past. In a way I played on any doubt's or fears you all had." She explained and I nodded

"Well it packed one hell of a punch." 

"I am sorry about that, I thought I was on the right side." She told me and my heart broke for her.

"I get it. Trust me." I told her and Pietro walked over

"We're ready." He said and we left.


	5. The Rise Before chapter 5

**The Rise Before**

"Ultron knows we're coming. Odds are we'll be riding into heavy fire, and that's what we signed up for. But the people of Sokovia, they didn't. So our priority is getting them out." Steve tells us on the jet and I held Bucky's tags in my hand, "All they want is to live their lives in peace, and that's not going to happen today. But we can do our best to protect them. And we can get the job done, and find out what Ultron's been building. We find Romanoff, and we clear the field. Keep the fight between us. Ultron thinks we're monsters and we're what's wrong with the world. This isn't just about beating him. It's about whether he's right."

* * *

We continue to help get people out of the city when I see multiple robots come from out of the ground and other places attacking the city. I notice a little girl standing on the sidewalk crying, I ran over to her as a bot blew something up and covered her with my body feeling the debris hit me, "Are you okay?" I asked her and she nodded then a woman came over and I handed the girl to her then pulled out my gun and began shooting at them. Suddenly there was a rumbling sound and I see cracks start to form in the road and the city started to lift up. I was apparently to close to one and as it lifted I started to fall but was quickly grabbed by someone and I saw it was Pietro, "Thanks." I said and he nodded then we watched in horror as the city continued to rise.

"Do you see? The beauty of it, the inevitability. You rise, only to fall." I hear Ultron's voice say through the robots, "You, Avengers, you are my meteor, my swift and terrible sword and the earth will crack with the weight of your failure. Purge me from your computers, turn my own flesh against me. It means nothing. When the dust settles, the only thing living in this world will be metal."

"Like hell." I said and looked at Pietro, "Can you run with another passenger?" I asked and he smiled then took my hand running off. Let me tell you, it was an unpleasant feeling watching everything zoom past us and I really tried hard not to throw up.

"Cap, you got incoming." I heard Stark say over my radio

"Incoming already came in. Stark, you worry about bringing the city back down safely. The rest of us have one job: tear these things apart. You get hurt, hurt 'em back. You get killed, walk it off." Steve says as Pietro stopped and it looked like he was catching his breath.

"Steve I think you're losing your touch on the inspirational speeches." 

"I'm doing the best I can." He says 

"You okay?" I asked Pietro and he nodded then took my hand again and he ran.

* * *

Suddenly Pietro stopped running, grabbed Wanda and left me standing there next to Clint then ran off, "Keep up old man!" He yelled and Clint holds his arrow to aim it at Pietro

"Nobody would know, except you. 'The last I saw him, an Ultron was sitting on him. Uh...yeah, he'll be missed, that quick little bastard. I miss him already'." Clint says to himself and I laughed as we ran after them.

"Come on now, you wouldn't do it." I told him

"I don't know, I'm tempted."

* * *

"The next wave's gonna hit any minute. What have you got, Stark?" Steve asked as I helped him clear some people from a building

"Well, nothing great. Maybe a way to blow up the city. That'll keep it from impacting the surface if you guys can get clear."

"I asked for a solution, not an escape plan." Steve said

"Impact radius is getting bigger every second. We're going to have to make a choice."

"Cap, these people are going nowhere. If Stark finds a way to blow this rock..." Nat started to say

"Not 'til everyone's safe."

"Everyone up here versus everyone down there? There's no math there." She says

"I'm not leaving this rock with one civilian on it."

"I didn't say we should leave." She tells him and we all look at each other.

"Well there's worse ways to go. Where else am are we gonna get a view like this?" I asked looking out at the clouds.

"Glad you like the view, Keller. It's about to get better." I heard Nick say on the radio and just then the Helicarrier shows up, "Nice, right? I pulled her out of mothballs with a couple of old friends. She's dusty, but she'll do."

"Fury, you son of a bitch." Steve said to him

"Oooh! You kiss your mother with that mouth?" Nick asked and I chuckled as smaller ships came out the side of the helicarrier.

"This is SHIELD?" Pietro asked after joining us

"This is what SHIELD's supposed to be." Steve told him

"This is not so bad."

"Let's load 'em up." Steve told us and we headed to the civilians

* * *

"Thor, I got a plan!" Stark tells him

"We're out of time. They're coming for the core."

"Rhodey, get the rest of the people on board that carrier." Stark says to him

"On it."

"Avengers, time to work for a living." Stark tells us and we make our way to the church. I jump onto a bot putting my hands on its head and squeezed until they went in and the robot fell then I walked over to the others.

"You good?" Pietro asked Wanda

"Yeah."

"Romanoff? You and Banner better not be playing hide the zucchini." Stark tells her

"Relax, Shell-head. Not all of us can fly." She said and I see a truck pull up and she joined us, "What's the drill?"

"This is the drill. If Ultron gets a hand on the core, we lose." Stark says pointing to the core then Ultron shows up

"Is that the best you can do?" Thor asked and Ultron summons his army of robots to join him

"You had to ask." Steve told him

"This is the best I can do. This is exactly what I wanted. All of you, against all of me. How could you possibly hope to stop me?"

"Well, like the old man said. Together." Stark said and we fight the bots as they come at us. Vision, Thor and Stark shoots their beams at Ultron pushing him out of the church as I shoot more of the bots.

"You know, with the benefit of hindsight...." Ultron started to say then suddenly Hulk knocks him far away and the robots start to retreat

"They'll try to leave the city." Thor mentioned

"We can't let 'em, not even one. Rhodey!" Stark says

"I'm on it."

"We gotta move out. Even I can tell the air is getting thin. You guys get to the boats, I'll sweep for stragglers, be right behind you." Steve tells us

"I'm going with you." I told him

"Jenna..." 

"Not up for debate. The thin air won't effect me, besides if you pass out who's gonna carry you to the boat?" I asked and he nodded

"What about the core?" Clint asked

"I'll protect it. It's my job." Wanda says and we leave

* * *

"Thor, I'm gonna need you back in the church." Stark told him

"Is this the last of them?" Thor asked us about the civilians

"Yeah. Everyone else is on the carrier." I said

"You know, if this works, we maybe don't walk away." Stark pointed out

"Maybe not." Thor says

Just then a jet flies over head firing at us and Steve put the shield over me and him, when we look up I see Pietro fall to the ground in front of Clint and a young boy, "Jenna, check on the boy." Clint tells me and I move over to the boy who was waking up.

"Hey buddy." I said kneeling down next to him, he tried to look at Pietro's body but I blocked him, "Come on sweetie." I tell him picking him up as Clint and Steve get Pietro's body. I bring the boy over to his mom as Clint sits down next to where they laid Pietro and I looked at him then Clint, "You good?" I asked him and he nodded

"It's been a long day." He says and I put my hand on his shoulder then he laid down. Suddenly the city falls and I see Steve go down.

"Steve!" I yelled but before I could make my way over he jumped back on the boat and I went over to him then we watched it fall then it blew up, "We did it. In a way. I'd call that a win." I tell him as he stands up then looked at me.

"Me too."

* * *

"Hey." I heard Steve say and I turned to face him, "Going somewhere?" He asked indicating to my bags.

"Possible lead, figured I'd head out after our meeting."

"Think you got something?" He asked and I sighed

"I'm hoping. I have to find him Steve."

"And you will, you just gotta take care of yourself too." He says and I gave a small smile, "Come on." He said and I followed him to where Nat was, "You want to keep staring at the wall, or do you want to go to work? I mean, it's a pretty interesting wall." He told her and she walked over to us

"I thought you and Tony were still gazing into each other's eyes. How do we look?" She asked and we walked

"Well, we're not the '27 Yankees." Steve pointed out handing her a tablet.

"We've got some hitters."

"They're good. They're not a team." He says

"Let's beat 'em into shape." I said and we walked through a set of doors seeing Rhodey in his War Machine suit, then Sam in his Falcon suit flew in, Wanda in a new suit, and Vision. I looked at them and smiled.

"Avengers..."


End file.
